| Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr., a descendant of British sea captains, lived his early years in New York City playing the English game of rounders. By 1842, at the age of 22, Cartwright and a group of other young executives played a new game called "base ball" on 27th Street, where Madison Square Garden would later be built. After informal play for three years the group, which had grown in numbers, organized as the "Knickerbockers" club. Cartwright then formulated a set of rules for "base ball" which included nine players to a side, nine innings in a game and foul lines.
After a few weeks of practice the Knickerbockers stated they were ready to play any challengers willing to abide by the the new rules. The New York Nine accepted the challenge. On June 19, 1846 the first "base ball" contest was played at Elysian Field in Hoboken, NJ. Cartwright, the Knickerbockers best player, umpired the first game. Without his talents the Knickerbockers lost to the Nine 23-1. Among Cartwright's umpiring decisions that day was a fine of six cents against a player for swearing.
In 1849 Cartwright was beckoned by the call of the discovery of gold in California. He and a group of friends set out for the west coast. The party arrived in St. Louis 42 days later. Their travel time was extended due to frequent stopovers where they demonstrated the game of "base ball". From St. Louis it was on to San Francisco.
Tired of the gold rush after only five weeks, Cartwright decided to return home. He booked passage on a ship bound for New York by way of China. On the trip Cartwright fell sick and was put ashore in Honolulu. While recuperating he fell in love with the islands and decided to make his home there. In 1851 he was joined by his wife and three children. He was now happy and began establishing his life in Hawaii. Standing 6' 2" and 220 pounds, a huge man for those times, Cartwright was an imposing figure. He formed the first fire department and became its chief engineer. He was president of the Chamber of Commerce and the stock board. He was also the administrator for the estates of Hawaii's king and queen.
Cartwright maintained his love for the game of "base ball". He frequently visited schools and with chalk and blackboard would explain the game to the kids. He literally spread the concept of baseball across what was to become the entire United States.
Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr., the father of baseball, died on July 12, 1892. His death was virtually unnoticed in his native country.
In 1938 the Hall of Fame Commission was finalizing plans to honor Abner Doubleday. However, word came from Hawaii of Alexander Cartwright's role in formalizing the game of baseball. The evidence included Alexander's diary and clippings. The commission was too far along in its plans for Doubleday. The Doubleday myth was allowed to stand, but Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr. was enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. |
USA